Multiple talking machine



March 25, 1924;

E. O. YEAGER ET AL MULT I PLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z/g.

March 25, 1924." 1,488,185

E. o. YEAGER ET AL MULTIPLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Sent. 28 1921 m/ 0. w 65 U WWW/M WM March 25, 1924.; 1,488,1185

E. O. YEAGER ET AL MULT I PLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 25, 192 1.;

E: 0. YEAGER ET AL MULTIPLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTY. 0

mamas March 25, 19 24. 4

- E. o. YEAGER ET AL MULTIPLE TALKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mwwbaaw M 4 Try.

ac the ream" Mar. as, 1924.

EJDG osmoma xi-mean, or 001mm, NEW scorn warns, am) aornn'r HILTON YORK, or swan BAY, AUSTRALIA.

mpnrrran TALKING momma.

Application filed Septemper 28, 1921. Serial No. 503,843.

To all whom it"may concern:

Be it known that we, EDGAR OsMoNn YEAGER and Former HAMmroN YORK, subjects of the King of Great Britain and '5 Ireland, residing, respectively, at ()oraki,

Richmond River, and Swan Bay,.Richmond River, New South Wales, Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple Talking Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in an improved multiple talking machine in which a plurality of disc records may be played successively with any desired interval between 115 the respective records. Contradistinguished from other multiple talking machines, the present invention uses a separate table for each record, on which the records are placed by the operator before the beginning of performance, it locates these tables in eche on order it arranges the table assembly in helical order and it provides for the movement of the complete assembly of tables at each stage so that when the playing of one record has been completed the movement of the assembly brings the next record table with the record thereon to the playin position, gears up the driving elements 0 this positioned table and holds ac the gear engaged until the record has been played, "and at each change of position of the table assembly moves the reproducer, lifting it from the finished groove of the played records, swinging it back to starting position and setting" it down onthe starting groove of the record next to be played.

The apparatus includes means for regulating the playing speed, :tor procuring an interval of predetermined length between to the playing of successive records, for adjusting the reproducer control mechanism for the playing of disc records oifdifi'erent diametral measurements, for adjusting the machine in relation to-the width "and centre at position of the grooved surface of the record, for minimizing .transmission of'mechanical vibration and noises to the record in play, and the\ other structural. details which are hereinafter particularized.

In machines according to this invention, disc records are set on separate rotatable tables, one on each table. The several tables are mounted on a .multiple carrier and are disposed thereon in helical order, and an overlapping; each table is in order of'succession brought into operative relation to the reproducer which as usual is carried on the end of a free swinging tone arm or horn. All said tables are geared to a driving element as they come successively to the playing osition, so that only that one of them, w ich is for the time being held in the playing position, is rotated by means of said gearing. The table surfaces are disposed horizontally when in the playing position. The arrangement of the tables in echelon helical order on the carrier economizes space minimizes the necessary range of movement of the reproducer arm, andfacilitates such movement in efiecting change over from one record upon the comletion of it to the record which is to folow it; this change over movement occurring simultaneously with the change position movement of the carrier.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a multiple talking machine having nine tables each adapted to carry a disc record. Any

greater or lesser number of table within I practical mechanical limitations, may, however, be used. The tables are mounted in helical order in circular echelon on a rotatable carrier which has a helical movement at each change.

Fig. 1 is a plan view having parts shown partially broken. This view shows four tables, one of them in playing position un-- Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view ex planatory of the electrical wiring and speed 7 control and regulating devices;

Fig. 6 is a plan on an enlarged scale,

with parts broken away and tables removed,

showing the control, adjusting mechanism; 7

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing an indicator associated with a device by which driving timing, and

each wall for access to the interior adjustment is made for lifting the tone arm and reproducer from the record at any desired diametral distance from the centre of the record;

Fig. 8 is a fra mentary plan showing portion of a recor disc and a. measuring scale set thereon, in the act of locating by equivalent number the starting and stopping position for playing;

Fig. 9 is a rear elevational view partly in section, with parts broken away, of the control mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the carrier driving clutch and timing mechanism and tone arm lifter;

Fig. ll is a section on the line 11-11 Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the ar-.

rows thereon;

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of portion of hi ig. i3 is a section on the line 13-13 Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;

Fig. 14 is a plan showing an alternative form of thetable carrier, and driving mechanism; and

Fig. 15 is a artial elevational view corresponding wit Fig. 14.

The parts and arrangements shown in Figs. 14 and 15 are separately described;

The apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is enclosed in a casing 20 having doors in arts, two suchdoors being shown. The mec iani- .cal parts are mounted in a frame housed in this casing.

The table assembly is built upon a vertically disposed floating 'post 20. Radially disposed about this post and in helical symmetrical order are a number of bracket arms 21 corresponding with the number of tables with which the machine is fitted. Each of these arms forms a support for a record table 22, said table having a pivot spindle 23 with a top projection 24 to form a centering in a boss 26 carrying thejspindle 23 the spindle is fitted with a bevel edge driving d1sc27, and the lower end of the ivot 23 is terminated in a cone point 28 ormin a footstep bearing resting upon a shoe p ate 29 which is formed as a cam face to facilitate table height adjustment by setting the carrier arm 30 on which the shoe 29 is mounted on the rock shaft 134. The bottom end of the floating post 20 is a slide fit in a tubular sleeve 32 which is mounted on a frame member 34. The sleeve 32 is slotted helically as shown at 33, the pitch of the slot ing uide for the record 25. Below a bearcounter weight 38 which is insufficient to balance the post and its parts, so that when the assembly is freed it descends and rotates. The records on the several tables are played successively, starting with the lowermost table and proceeding upwards in helical order, table by table until the whole set has been. played, or until as many'tables have been played as are required'for a irecita-l.

As each arm carrying its table comes into register above the driving and holding mechanism, it is arrested at that position by a check device, the bevel disc 27 at the same time comiiig into working engagement with the frictioii bevel driving pinion 39. This pinion is turned by the driving spindle 40, and it is mounted on an extension 42 which is connected to that spindle by a universal joint 44. As the table is not geared to the mechanism except through the friction wheels 27 and 39 and as the universal joint 44 offers certain freedom to the spindle 42, the table does not suffer any serious vibration and the clarity of reproduction is not afi'ected. The extension spindle 42 is supported in a'bearing 45 on the end of an arm 46, said arm being pivotally mounted on a transverse pin 47 and supported by a helical spring 48. The pinion 39 has therefore liberty to set itself against the wheel 27 resiliently, the spring 48 holding it up to engagement so that a predetermined pressure is exerted at the driving face, ensuring an eflicient transmission. The spindle 40 is rotated through spur gearing 5051from an electric motor 52. In Fig. 5, 53 and 54 are nect up one terminal of the motor 52; the

other terminal of the motor 52 is connected by two-wires to the terminal 53. One of these wires, 62, connects through the frame to the governor disc 58, the other line 63 connects to the arm 64 of a rheostat. The rheostat coil terminal is connected to the line .65 which line is also connected up to the contacts 59 and 53. The rheostat is set'to control the speed atthe required rate. If the speed'should slacken, the governor disc 58 contacts with 59 and establishes a shunt circuit through the line 65, thus cutting out the rheostat and speeding up the motor; excess speed is controlled by the adjustment of the brake shoe 60 in relation to the disc 58. The brake shoe is positioned where reggired by a screw and lever-control device 70 is a worm cut on the spindle 40. This worm engages a worm wheel 71 on a spindle 72, on said spindle is keyed a drum pinion 74. This pinion 74 meshes with a spur wheel 75 fixed on a way shaft'76, which shaft also carries a drum pinion 77 which is engageable with a rack 78 on the underside of a sliding tipping carrier 79. This carrier is mounted by slide sleeves 80 on a tubular casing 81 enclosing the spindle 40 but is slotted to offer clearance for engagement of the worm wheel 71 with the worm 70. Normally, the carrier 79 is held against a stop on the supporting frame 106 by a flexible cord 82 under tension, this cord being connected with mechanism hereinafter described associated with the tone arm retiring and resetting mechanism. The carrier is tipped backwardly against the tension on.

the cord 82 by means of a: kick lever 83 when the tail of said lever is struck by the arm 84. The tipping movement is effected automatically at the completion of the playin of a record to permit the carrier 79 to be rawn back by the cord 82 to starting position which'is the inner position near the bevel pinion 39. The rotation of the shaft 40 transmitted through the gear drive'70, 71, 74, 75 and '77, to the rack 78 operates to traverse the carrier 7 9 outward, thereby pulling on the cord 82 and tensioning the resetting spring 170.

The outer end of each of the arms 21 is vertically slotted as shown at 90. Above the slot a spindle 91 is carried in end bearings 92, 93. This spindle 91 is helically slotted as shown at 94. finger 95 slidable in the groove 90 is carried on a sleeve 96 having a spline therein engaging in the helical slot 94. On its outer end the ipindle 91 is fitted with a dial lever 97 (see ig. 7) working over a dial plate 98; this dial plate is graduated to correspond with the number of grooves in a record of extreme width. The groovemeasure is taken h setting a graduated rule 99 on the recor disc 25 as shown in Fig. 8. The rule is marked in corres ndence with the marking on the dial 98. y setting the lever 97 at the dial number corresponding with the ascertained distance of the finish groove of the record from the record centre, the finger 95 is moved to a corresponding position'in the slot 90. The lower end of this finger forms a stop and a striker, its side contactswith the far side of the carrier table 79, and its toe, which is latch faced, is engageable with the heel 100 of a bell crank lever, the work end 101 of which touches a rail 102 carried on a bent lever 103 which is pivotally mouiited at- 104 on a bracket 105 on the .ture.

frame106. The rear end of this lever arm 103' is fitted with a spring mounting 107 whlcli functions to keep the rail 102 pressed upward. A link 109 connects an arm 108 on the lave-r103 to a pivotally mounted stop 110. When the lever heel 100 is depressed, the rail 102 is forced down, the spring 107 compressed, the link 109 pulled, and the stop 110 thus moved out of the path of a check finger 112 on a spindle 113. On this spindle is keyed a spur pinion 114 having its teeth interrupted. at one certain po sition, that is the position in which the finger 112 is engaged against the top of the. stop 110. The spindle 113 carries on its outer end a cam 120. This cam engages with a riding arm 121 and operates to lift and lower said arm, and thereby, through the link connection 122 to rock the spindle 123. A helical spring 124 in tension is connected to an excent-ric point on the side of the cam 120, and functions to turnfthe spindle 113 in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 6; such motion of the spindle 113 is checked so long as the stop 110 remains engaged under the finger 112, and in this condition there is no engage-merit between the interrupted spur pinion 114 and the spur wheel 115 which is freely ,mounted on the way shaft 76. The way shaft- 76 has also freely rotatably mounted on it a pinion 125. Dog teeth 126 that it is rotated with it; and it is engageable through the dog teeth either with the wheel 115 or with the pinion 125. The change movement is effected by means of a fork 129 which engages a groove in the sleeve 128. The fork 129 is moved by a link 131, 132 being buffer springs at either side of, the fork to permit lost motion on the link 131; said link is operated to move the sleeve by the arm 84 which is mounted at the foot on a lever arm 133,- said lever arm being fixed to .a rockshaft 134. It is maintained normally in erect position by the action of a coiled spring 136 which connects a lug 137 on one side of the shaft 134 to a fixed member 138 on the frame struc- The outer end of the lever arm 133 is engageable with a latch notch 139 on a rocking trigger 140. The finger 141 of this trigger is engageable by anofi'set pin 142 on the side of a spur wheel 143; said spur wheel is fixed to a spindle 144 and'a coiled spring 145 is wound on the spindle 144, one end of said spring being fixed to the wheel 143'at 150, and the other end of @a 1 Ka -88,1825!) it attached to fixed member 146 on the wardly again by the rotation of the inion frame. At its distant end the spindle 144 77 acting on the rack 78, until the finis posicarries a disc 151. This disc is fixed to tion is reached, when the lever 83 again it and is armed with an oflfset pin'152. This operates to free the carrier and allow it to pin sets in an annular oove in the face be drawn back to the starting position. of the bevel wheel 147, t e said groove be- Tension is maintained on the cord 82 by ing interrupted at one point. With the means of a coiled spring 170 which connects bevel wheel 147 another bevel wheel 148 a lever arm 171 to the frame member 172.

is geared, this last mentioned bevel wheel being fixed on a spindle 149 extending, through the housing and having a lever arm 130 fitted on the end of it, said arm work ing over the dial 135. During-the playing of a record the clutch sleeve 128 is disengaged from the pinion 125. The wheel A crank 173 on the arm 171 carries the end of the cord 82. A pin 174 which forms the fulcrum for the lever 171-173 is mounted on a frame bracket 175; this bracket carries an am 176 on a pivot pin 177; Upon the outer end of this arm a roller ended finger 1 78 bears; this finger is offset from. an

.curs between the termination of playing of the next record.

143 may therefore be then turned through arm 179 which functions to turn a short the gearing 147 and 148 in order to adjust spindle 218 on the end of which is fixed a the position of the striker pin 142 in relacam 219 which functions to lift the tone tion to the trigger finger 141. Upon this arm or to allow it to come downward about adjustment depends the interval which ocits trunnion mountings 180 according to the lever movement, thus to raise the needle of of the reproducer 200 off the record 25 when The adjustment may be the finger 178 is raised, and to permit it to so set that change over from one record to set down again on a record when said finger the other is immediate, or it may be set for is lowered. The tone arm and the lever 176 any required interval of seconds or minutes descend by gravity but they are positively between the succession of record playing. lifted by the and 182 which is fixed on the When the setting is to procure immediate rock spindle 123'. Another arm 184 on the succession of playing, the striker pin 142 rock spindle 123 is connected by the link is set close to the finger 141, so that imme- 122 with the riding arm 121 which is acted diatelyafter engagement of the clutch upon by the cam 120. A stop arm 190 prosleeve 128 with the pinion 125 occurs, the jecting forwardly in a horizontal direction rotational movement applied to the wheel from the base of the tone arm carries a shoe 143 immediately brings the striker pin 142 191 on its outer end. This shoe engages a into contact with the trigger finger 141 light sprin plunger 192, the position of causing "a movement of the trigger which which is set y the dialling device 193, which releases the lever arm 133 from engagement operates to turn .the plunger 5 indie 194 in with the notch latch 139 and permits said itshousing 195, said housing being slotted arm to rise. Contrariwise, if the striker helically to obtain an advancin or retiring pin 142 be set initially by adjustment of motion according to thedirection of rotathe dial lever 130 so that the wheel 143 tion.- The plunger acts as a bufi'er to an must turn through a considerable angle berest the outward swingof the tone arm at fore this contact occurs, a: corresponding a point which corresponds with the setting period ofdelay will happen before the reof the needle on the record slightly beyond lease of the lever 133- is eflected. Upon the the. starting roove, when the needle rests release'of this lever depends certain operaon the record the plungerv spring is just tions of the control mechanism for resetting strong enough to push the plunger forward the reproducer'on a record just brought into and thus move the reproducer transversely playing position. on the record to bring the needle into the While the carrier 79 is in normal posifirst groove. This adjustment is necessary tion, the rack 78 is engaged by the pinionto set the outer angular stop position of the 77, and the rotation of this pinion moves tone arm to correspond with the diametral the carrier outwardly, its'slide sleeves 80 position of the outermost groove on the recrunning on the spindle casing 81 which onord to be played; the dialling device is closes the spindle 40. Then however, the shown in Fig.3. \Vhen, for instance, a 10 lever arm 133 isdepressed, the arm 84 actinch record is being played, the lunger 192 ing against the tail of the kick lever .83 must be set inward so that it Wlll function causes said lever to tip said carrier sutfias a bufi'er to prevent the arm 190 swingclently to lift the rack 78 free from ening outward further than the position gagement with the, pinion 77. The cord 82 which corresponds with the 10 inch diamewhich is in tension, immediately operates tral positioning of the reproducer needle in to slide the carrier 79 inward along the the starting groove of the record. Simi- 8 indie casing 81, thereby. to restore it to larly, when a 12 inch record is being played, t e starting position. As playing of a recthe bufier plunger must be set outward to ord proceeds, the carrier is moved out allow for the movement outward of the tone one record and the beginning of playing bly and the strikers 225 click past the trip f been reversely.

end of each of the arms 21 is also arm 201 to the 12 inch record starting position. Precise adjustment is facilitated b' the fractional markings next the dial indicator 10. This is necessary as records vary not only in diameter of the'disc but in the inner and the outer diametral positions of the finish groove and the. start groove therein respectively.

On the end of each of the arms 21 a stop device is provided to enga e the contact roller 223 on the switch 55, thereby to open the circuit of the motor and thus cause the spindle 23'to come to rest in order to bring the recital to a stop. This device consists of a swing finger 220 mounted for horizon-.

tal movement on a pin 221 and provided with a locking device 222 to hold it either in retired position as shown in full lines in Fig. 6 or in the extendedposition for engagement with the contact 223 as also shown in dotted lines in that figure. The inner rovided with a striker 225. This striker is set to engage as it passes a trip arm 226 which is pivotally mounted at 227 on a. bracket piece 228 on the end of the rock shaft 134. The trip arm 226 is normally held in erect position by aspring 229. In the progression of the table assembly, the striker 225 engages the arm 226, and imparts a ,rocking movement'to the shaft 134, thereby stretching the spring 136 and tipping down the lever 133. In the resetting movement (effected manually) in which the floating post 2O is rotated, the table assembly moves helically upwardly and all the tables are brought "past and above the control assemarm 226. 1 The operation of the machine is as folows:'

Assuming that the floating post 20 has rotated manually so as to bring the tab assembly above the control and driving assembly-,the lowermost arm 21 isstopped by its finger 95 engaging the side of the carrier 79. Assuming that a a 10 inch record is to be played, the dialling device 193 is set correc mark to adjust the spring buffer plunger 192 in correspondence. The fork 231 is also set on-the 10 inch pin 233, and the stop 95 is set by the dial arm 97 to adjust the: table release mechanism at the required position, and the check pin 112 is set to oifer clearance for rotation of the s indle 113 before said pin engages the pivoted stop 110. After the parts have begun rotation this pin is brought to contact with the stop 110 which event happens as soon as the tone arm has been lowered to allow the reproducer needle to enter the record groove. The reproducer needle is 'now above the outermost groove in the record and the' motor set in operation by closing the switch y near the 10 inch 55. Meantime, however, assuming that the records are required to be played in immedlate succession that is without any substantial interval between each record, the dial lever 130 is operated to set the wheel 143 with its striker pin 142 holding the trigger finger 141 disengageable by the lever 133; as shown, clearance is allowed between the pin 142 and the trigger finger 141 to provlde a short interval between the playings of successive records. The carrier 79 is automatically set at the beginning of the.

of the reproducer needle across the record,

the stop finger 95, .on the arm 21 meantime bearing against the side of the carrier. When the final grooves in the record are reached by the needle, the finger engages the heel 100- of the .trip lever causing its lower end 101 to hear down the rail 102, thereby canting the lever 1.03 and pulling the st? inward and so freeing the check nger 112 on the spindle 113; said spindle is immediately partially rotated by t e action of the spring 124 so that the pinion-114 is brought into engagement with the spur wheel 115 on the way shaft 7 5. In this partial rotation of the spindle 113 the cam is moved to the position at which it would begin to lift the arm 121. Further rotation of the cam in the right hand direction (see arrow Fig. 12) by the spindle 113 lift-s the arms 121 and 184 with the result that the rock spindle 123 is slight] rotated, lifting the arm 182, and throng it the arm 176, and in turn the arm 17 9 (Fig. 10). The tone-arm 201 is thus raised so that the needle of the reproducer is lifted ofi the record. The spring .230 sustains thearm 179 in contact with the arm 176. The arm 201 is traversed across the record by the tracking of the reproducer needle. The fork 231 which is ivotally. mounted at 232 on the end of the ever. 171 engages in its jaw the upstanding pin 233 on the stop arm 190., As the carrier 79 is moved outward by the operation of the mechanism already described, the flexible cord 82 is drawn by it, with the-resultthat the bell crank lever 171, 173 is moved against the pull of the spring and thefork arm 231 moved inward. Consequently the tone arm is permitted to swing inward to accommodate the traverse movement of ,the reproducer needle in following the record spiral groove. A second pin 233 fitted on the stop arm serves for a 12 inch record adjustment, the other pin 233 for lllh see

' parts being obtained by this detail. When the end of the record in play has been reached by the reproducer needle, the inner end of the carrier 79 passes the finger 95; the arm 21 carrying the table which has been in play is thus freed of the check which has prevented rotation of the table system; the whole table system then moves one step helically downward. When the arm 21 has passed over the carrier 79 the striker 225 on it engages the trip arm 226 in passing and imparts a rocking motion through an angle of a few degrees to the rock shaft 134. This rocking movement moves the lever 133 downward to locking position in the latch .notch 139, thus canting the arm which kicks the lever 83 momentarily, this kicking movement tips the carrier laterally so that the rack 78 on the under side of it is momentarily disenga ed from the driving pinion 77. Immediate y this release happens, the sprin 170 operating'through the cord 82 and t e connecting lever system ulls the carrier inward again to the startmg position, so that it is reset before the next arm 21 reaches it; the helical motion of the table system is thus'arrested as the stop finger comes in contact with the side of the carrier. The rotation of the wheel 143 brin s the pin 142 in contact with the trigger ger 141 and sets free the lever 133 from the notch 139. In the upward movement the link 131 is moved so that by means of the fork 129 it slides the clutch s eeve 128 out of engagement from the wheel and into engagement with the pinion 125. In the positlon in .which the lever 133 is locked by the latch notch 139 it holds the dogs 126 engaged and consequently the rotational movement of the way shaft 76 is transmitted to the wheel 143. As a very slight movement of that wheel, owing to the close adjustment of the striker pin 142 in relation to the fin or 141, sufiices to release the latch 139, t e arm 133 is in this case allowed to jump up under control of the spring 136 to its top position in doing which, opposite movement of the arm 84 occurs with the result that the clutch sleeve 128 is reversed and the wheel 115 is again engaged to the wa shaft 76. The pinion 114 and the spind e 113 are thus rotated, so that the cam is moved to allow the arm 121 to move downward. This downward movement of the arm 121' operating throu h the rock shaft 123 and the arms 182, 1 6, and 179 effects a gradual lowermesses ing of the tone arm until the needle again rests on the record grooves at the starting position. Whilst the tone arm is in lifted position, clearance is offered below it for the movement downwardly of the played table. It is to be noted that after the tone arm has been lifted in the manner described, it is swungoutward to the starting position by the action of the spring 170 in the same movement as that in which-said spring functions to restore the carrier 79 to the starting position.

By setting the finger 95 at a position corresponding to any other starting oint than the beginning groove of a recor and by correspondingly adjusting the position of the buffer plunger 192, the machine may be arranged to start the playing of a record at any desired intermediate position. This, however would not be necessary in ractice, but the same arrangement "is available for setting the machine to operate with records of any diameter from minimum to maximum range, and having respectively their record grooves differently located for start and finish positions in relation to the record centre. When it is desired to provide aninterval between the finishing of one record and the beginning of the next, such interval is arranged by means of the dialling device which is operated to set the striker pin 142 at an appropriate distance from the trigger finger 141, so that a corresponding delay necessary for the rotation of the parts according to the speed of the motor is provided before the lever 133 is released to allow the carrier to tip back to level position to reengage the rack 78 with the feed pinion 77.

In order to economize space, the floating post 20 may be omitted and the table supporting arms 21 then serially connected together to form an helical assembly as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. This arrangement permits of the tables being overlapped in closer order than is possible when the are located aroundfa centre support as in Fig. 1. In the Figs. 14-15 arrangement the bottom end of the table assembly terminates in a centering guide, and the top end is suspended and counterbalanced similar to the oounterbals ancing arrangement shown in Fig. 4. But in this case the guide stem 210 is slotted heli cally and works in a tubular sleeve 211, 212 being a pin set in the sleeve 211 and engaging an helical groove 213 in the guide stem 210. A further modification relates to the driving gearing and consists in fitting a friction .wheel 214 driven by the motor 52 and positioned to engage the periphery of the table in play under pressure of a back spring 215.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. A multiple disc talking machine having Ill inc

a pluralit of record tables ada ted to be successive y moved to and from t e playing position, said tables being arranged in vertical echelon order around a centrally disposed support, means for applying a stepby-step helical movement to said support, and a reproducer mounted to swi about a fixed support into operative relation with said tables. I

2. A multiple talking machine compris ing a plurality of record tables disposed in helical order and respectively in echelon in relation to the next tables-in the assembly, means for applying step-by-step helical movement to the table assembly to bring the tables successively to playing position and to hold them in said position for apredetermined time, means -for applying rotational movement to that one only of such tables which is for the time" being in the playing position, and a reproducer mounted on a fixed support with means interlocked with the table moving means for retiring said reproducer at finish of play of each record and for resetting it at start position on the next record when said next record has been brought to the playing position.

3. In a multiple talking machine according to claim 2, a carriage associated with the table driving means, said carriage adapted to engage stops on the table assembly to hold the tables in playing position at appropriate times, means for traversing said carriage in relation to the table assembly thereby to clear a stop so engaged and to reset it to engage the stop on the following table thereby to control movement of the table assembly to procure step-by-step progression for successive playing of records.

4. In a multiple talking machine according to claim 2, means manually controllable and dependent upon the positioning of stops on the tables engageable with a traversing carriage for determining the period for which the respective tables are held in playing position. i

5. In a multiple disc talking machine according to claim 3, a reproducer moving device, means for delayin the operation of the reproducer moving evice in the reset ting operation, said means interlocked with means for delaying the operation of the means for moving the table assembly, and adapted for procuring an interval of predetermined len h between the finish of one record and the eginning of play of the succeeding record.

6. In a multiple disc talking machine according toclaim 3, means including a variable length linkage and a variable position stop bufler associated with the reproducer retiring and resetting mechanism and interlocked with the table assembly progression mechanism, said means adapted for setting the machine for'operating with records of different diametral measurement.

7. In a multiple disc talking machine according to claim 3, means for controlling the table assembly pro ression mechanism and efi'ecting retiring an resetting of the reproducer relative to the ending positions of the grooves in the respective records, said means consisting in a manually settable adjustment on a stop on each table which stop is engageable with a traversing carriage which is geared to the table rotating means and is adapted to effect release of the table assenibly' rotating means when the reproducer has coursed the last groove in the record, and means dependent on such release for raising the reproducer and for resetting it on the next table in series.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR OSMOND YEAGER. ROBERT HAMILTON YORK.

Witnesses as to Edgar Osmond Yeager:

W'. I. SPENsoR, HAROLD V. THATCH. Witnesses as to Robert Hamilton York:

Lorne I. BENAND, JAs. ALLISON. 

